Air-valve for radiators.



humm me. 2, 1902. F. w. LEuTHEssEm v AIR VALVE FOR RDIATDBS.

(Applicatinn led Apr. 4, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.A

FRED W. LEUTI-IESSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MONASH- YOUNKER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AIR-VALVE FOR RADIATO RS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7l 5,097, dated December 2, 1902.

Application filed April 4, 1902. Serial No. 101,3 72. (No model.)

To all whom it may corr/cern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. LEUTHEssER, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Air-Valves for Radiators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class or type of air-valves for radiators employing an expansible stem or member to control the port or passage for the escape of air and water of condensation when the valve is open and for preventing the escape of steam when the valve is closed.

The primary object of the present invention is to construct a valve for radiators having an induction-passage thereinto and an eduction-passage therefrom out of direct communication one with the other and having an indirect communication under the control of the expansible stem, so that air and the Water of condensation can be discharged and the escape of steam prevented; to simplify and improve the construction and arrangement of the elements which enter into the valve as a whole; to construct the body of the valve of an outer shell or casing and an inner shell or casing with a passage-Way between the two walls or casings communicating with the induction-passage of the valve and having an interior passage-waysurrounding the expansible stem and in communication with the outer passage-way between the two shells or casings, with an outlet at the lower end of the interior passage-way; to locate the passage for the air and water of condensation into the valve at the upper end of the base, with the body of the Valve extending above the induction-passage; to furnish the inner shell or casing With a seating wall or face at its upper end for engagement with the acting end of the eXpansible stem to close communication between the outer passage and the inner passage of the valve, and to improve generally the construction and operation of the valve as a whole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the valve complete; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a cross-section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 5 a sectional elevation showing a modification.

The valve is constructed with a base having a body A and a neck A', the body and neck having an interior screw-thread and the neck having an exterior screw-thread, and extending out from the body on one side is a stem or nipple @,having a passage a', by means of which stem or nipple the valve is attached `to the radiator-coil for the passage ct' to furnish communication between the radiator and the valve. An outer shell or casing B, made preferably of sheet metal and having an interior screw-thread at its lower end, is entered onto an eXteriorly-screW-threaded rim or wall b on the base. This outer shell or casing has its body and top imperforate, and, as shown, the top or upper end is inwardly curved, so as to have a smaller diameter than the diameter of the body of the shell or casing for giving the air as it ascends up.- wardly an inward deflection beneath the closed top of the outer shell or casing. An inner shell or casing C, also made preferably of sheet metal, has its lowered end entered into a socket c therefor formed in the body of the base and into which the end of the shell or casing snugly and closely fits. The body of the shell or casing C is of a less diameter than the body of the shell or casing B, and

the upper end of the shell or casing C is in-` ward1ycurved,following the line of curvature of the upper end of the outer shell or casing B, and instead of a closed top the inner shell or casing has in its top holes c', permitting air, water of condensation, and steam to enter the interior of the inner shell or casing. The passage a opens into the chamber of the base, and this chamber when the inner shell or casing is in place forms a passage b', which communicates with a chamber or passage b2 between the outer shell or casing and the inner IOO canite or other material which will expand freely under heat and contract under cold. This stem or plug is solid and its body is circular in cross-section and of less diameter than the interior diameter of the body of the shell or casing C, so as to leave a passage c2 between the exterior of the expansible stem and the interior face of the wall of the body of the shell or casing. The upper or acting end of the expansion-stem is tapered and forms a plug or seating end d to coact'with the wall or seating-face of the contracted end of the inner shell or casing, so that when the stem is expanded to force the plug or acting end thereof to its seat communication between the outer passage b2 and the inner passage c2 through the holes c' is shut oft' or closed. The expansion-stem is to be adj usted in its relation to the upper end of the inner shell or casing for its plug or acting end when g the stem is contracted to be withdrawn from the upper end of the inner shell or casing, so as to leave a passage between the end of the stern and the end of the shell or casing for the iniiowing of air and the water of condensation and steam into the passage c2 between the stem and the shell or casing. The expansible stem for the purpose of adjustment is carried by an adjustable holder or cupplug E, having an exterior screw-thread and `having a rim or wall e, into which is entered the end d of the stem, and, as shown, the stem is held tlrmlyin place bya rim or iange e', which is turned into a recess or undercut terior of the holder or cup-plug has formed therein slots or o enin se2 which communicate with the chamber or passage between the expansible stem and the inner shell or casing and furnish an outlet for escaping air` and water of condensation from the passage or chamber when the acting end of the expansible stem is unseated. The end plate of the holder or cup-plug, as shown, has therein a slot or nick es for the reception of the end` of a screw-driver by means of which the holder or cup-plug can be advanced or receded, as required, for locating the acting end of the expansible stem in correct coacting relation with the Wall or seating-face at the upper end of the inner shell or casing; but instead of a slot or nick other means could be provided for adjusting the holder or cup-plug.

' A coupling-n ut F, having an interior screwthread, is entered onto the exterior screwthread of the neck A of the base, and this coupling-nut has an inwardly-extending rim or iange f to take under a rim or flange g on a coupling-nipple G, having an interior screwthread for attachment to the end of a return or discharge pipe for attaching the valve to the return or discharge pipe. VThe couplingnut and the coupling-nipple when entered onto the base make a tight joint by the contact of the end g of the coupling-nipple with the edge or corner of the neck A of the base, as shown in Fig. 2, and in addition the coupling-nut and the coupling-nipple furnish a protection against ready access to the adjusting holder or plug of the expansible stem by unauthorized persons, thus preventing tampering with the adjustment of the valve by unauthorized parties, as in order to obtain access to the holder or plug the coupling, consisting of the coupling-nut and the couplingnipple, must be broken, and such breaking of the connection breaks the Vacuum and destroys the utility of the valve.

The valve is assembled by entering the inner end or bottom of the shell or casing Cinto its socket c in the base and entering the outer shell or casing B at its inner or bottom end onto the screw-threaded flange or rim b of the base. The expansible stem D, attached to its holder or cup-plug, is entered into the interior of the shell or casing C by screw-threading the holder or cup-plug into the base, as required for the adjustment of the acting or seating end of the stern in proper correlation with the seating wall or face of the inner shell or casing, and the coupling-nut, with the coupling-nipple entered thereinto, is screw-threaded onto the neck of the base, completing the assembling of the valve as a whole, ready for use. The valve as a whole is attached to the radiator by entering its screw-threaded stem a into a suitable hole therefor in the radiator and by connecting the coupling F G onto the end of the return or discharge pipe, attaching the valve ready for use.

In operation with the valve cold the air btoo IIO

drawn from the radiator and followed by the ing in the passage b2 will ilow through the holes c in the top of the inner-shell or casing into the passage c2 between the inner shell or casing and the expansible stem, and from such passage the inliowing air and water of condensation will flow out through the discharge holes or openings e2 in the outer face of the holder or hollow plug E to pass into the return or discharge pipe. The steam, following the air and Water of condensation, will enter the chamber or passage c2 between the expansible stem and the inner shell or casing, the steam iiowing through the passage a', passage b', chamber or passage b2, and holes c and acting on the expansible stem causes an expansion thereof by the heat imparted thereto from the steam for the expansion to advance the acting or seating end of the stein contact with the stem or member of the air,

into engagement with the seating wall or face of the upper' end of the shell or casing, shutting off the inflow through the holes c/ into the chamber or passage between the steam and the inner shell or casing. The reduction of stem or otherwise causes the expansible memberor stem to contract, withdrawing its acting or seating end from engagement with the seating wall or face of the inner shell or casing, again opening communication between the outer chamber or passage b2 and the inner chamber or passage c2 for the air and water of condensation to flow through the valve and escape at the return or discharge pipe, as already described, and this escape will continue until the steam again enters the chamber or passage b2 for the heat of the steam to act and cause the expansible member or stem to expand and again shut off communication through the holes c with the outer chamber or passage and the inn er chamber or passage, and these operations will alternate and continue as the Valve becomes hot and cold.

The coupling,consisting of the coupling-n ut and the coupling-nipple and constituting the connection between the valve shell or casing and the return or discharge pipe, can be broken by withdrawing the cou pling-nut from the neck of the shell or casing, so that the valve can be turned on the attaching stem or nipple for the radiator to enable access to be had to the adjustable holder or hollow plug for setting the eXpansible stem or member in proper relation to have its seating or acting end coact with the seating wall or face of the inner shell or casing. The locating of the induction-passage from the radiator into the valve at the upper end of the base and leading into the chamber or passage b', communicating with the chamber or passage b2, causes the air, the water of condensation, and the steam to enter at the lower end of the chamber or passage b2 with an upward flow to the exit through the holes c' into the interior chamber or passage c2, when the acting or seating end of the expansion stem or member is withdrawn by contraction when cold. The upward ilow and inward divergence given to the air, the water of condensation, and the steam through the chamber or passage b2 maintains the water of condensation in the chamber or passage until it'rises or is forced to a point where it will overflow the top of the inner shell or casing, thereby insuring a complete forcing of the air from the radiator and the valve before the water of condensation will discharge, and with the reduction of pressure the valve will clear itself of any water of condensation remaining in the chamber or passage b2, as the water of condensation can ilow back through the passage et in the connecting stem or nipple, thus leaving a clear outlet for discharging the air, and the inner shell or casing forms a protector around the expansible stem or member against direct the water of condensation, and the steam as these mediums iow into the valve,it being necessary for the mediums to pass through the perforated top of the inner shell or casing before coming into direct contact with the expansible stem or member.

As shown in Fig. 5, an outer shell or casing B is formed integral with the base, dispensing with the necessity of threading the shell or casing onto the base, as shown in Fig. 2. The inner shell or casing C in the construction of Fig. 5 has a body of greater length than the shell or casing C of Fig. 2, and the shell or casing C passes entirely through a hole therefor in the base, and its lower end has a rim or flange c3, which abuts against a shoulder around the opening in the base. The corner edge of the shell or casing at the rim or Iiange end is engaged by the end g of the coupling-nipple when the coupling-nut is entered onto the neck end of thebase, forcing the rim or flange of the shell or casing tightly against the shoulder of the base, making a tight close iit and joint against leakage. The lower end of the shell or casing C has an interior screw-thread, into which is threaded the plug E, carrying the expansible member or stem, so that the inner shell or casing furnishes the support for the expansible member or stem. The adj usting-plug E, with the expansible member or stem attached thereto, is entered into the lower end of the inner shell or casing and properly adjusted therein for its acting or seating end to properly coact with the seating wall or face at the top or upper end of the inner shell or casing. The inner shell or casing is then entered through the hole therefor in the base for its rim or `flan ge to engage the shoulder when the coupling-nipple is attached, and the coupling-nipple is entered into the coupling-nut and the nut screw-threaded onto the base, completing the assembling of the valve as a whole. The expansible member or stem in the construction of Fig. 5 is adjusted by withdrawing the coupling-nut and coupling-nipple for access to be had to the adjusting-plug, and the inner shell or casing, with the expansible mem- IOO IIO

ber or stem carried thereby, is easily withi drawn for the purpose of repairs or replacing the stem in case of breakage, it only being necessary to detach the coupling-nut and coupling-nipple, when the inner shell or casing and the expansible member or stem can be drawn through the opening left by the detachment of the coupling nut and nipple.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an air-valve for radiators, the combination of a base having a chamber into which an inlet-passage opens, an outer shell or casing mounted on the base, an inner shell or casing having a perforated top and entered into the base, and an eXpansible stem or member operating in the chamber of the inner shell or casing to open and close communication through the open top of the inner shell or casing, substantially as described.

2. In an air-valve for radiators, the combination of a base having a chamber into the lower end of which an inletpassage opens, an outer shell or casing mounted on the base, an inner shell or casing having a perforated top and entered into the base with its lower end below the inlet-passage of the base, and an eXpansible stem or member operating in the chamber of the inner shell or casing to open and close communication through the top of the inner shell or casing, substantially as described.

3. In an air-valve for radiators, the combination of a base having a chamber into which an inlet-passage opens, an outer shell or casing mounted on the base and having a contracted upper end, an inner shell or casing entered into the base and having a contracted upper end with a perforated top and p-rovided with a seating wall or face, an expansible stem or member entered into the chamber of the inner shell or casing and having an actfrom the lower end of the chamber of the inner shell or casing, substantially as described.

4. In an air-valve for radiators, the combi.` nation of a base having a chamber into the lower end of which an inlet-passage opens, an outer shell or casing mounted on the'base and having a contracted upper end, an inner shell or casing entered into the base with its lower end below the inlet-passage of the base and having a contracted upper end with a perforated top and provided with a seating wall or face, an expansible stem or member entered into the chamber of the inner shell or casing and having an acting or seating end coacting with the seating wall or face of the inner shell or casing, an adjustable plug carrying the expansible stem or member and entered into the base, a passage leading from the lower end of the chamber of the inner shell or casing, a coupling-nut entered onto the neck of the base, and a coupling-nipple engaged by the coupling-nut, substantially as described.

FRED W. LEUTHESSER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, OSCAR W. BOND. 

